According to a Saturday Benzinga report that references “a source familiar with the matter”, it has been revealed that Chinese computer maker Lenovo Group (OTCBB:LNVGY) could make an offer to acquire Canadian telecommunication and wireless equipment company BlackBerry Ltd. (BBRY) as early as this week. The source told the publication that Lenovo’s first offer for the struggling smartphone maker would be “$15.00 per share, with a deal ultimately getting done around $18.00 per share.”
This isn’t the first time the $15 billion market cap company has been linked with BlackBerry. In January 2013, Lenovo’s chief financial officer Wong Wai Ming told Bloomberg “We are looking at all opportunities – RIM [still known as Research in Motion at that time] and many others. We’ll have no hesitation if the right opportunity comes along.”
BlackBerry played down the comment. Later that month Canadian Industry Minister Christian Paradis said that he would prefer the smarthone maker to grow “organically.” The Canadian government reportedly stopped Lenovo’s takeover of BlackBerry due to national security concerns.
BlackBerry declined to comment to Benzinga on a possible Lenovo bid.
“The company does not comment on rumors or speculation,” said a spokesman for the Waterloo, Ontario-based company.
BBRY climbed 2.04 percent to $9.49 at the close in New York’s Friday Nas session.
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